Earth's Secret
by Lady Fox1
Summary: X2 Spoilers! : Mikaia's got a secret. John's come back. What'll happen if he makes the girl who never talks, spill everything?
1. Wlecome to the Institute

She was tough. She had to be. It wasn't her choice; it was the way they had made her. They had tortured her to the breaking pint. But she still refused to break. You could say that's how she ended up at Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters. This is Mikaia Collin's story. Her tale of love, life, death, and new beginnings.  
  
"Mikaia, hurry up!!" Rogue shouted at the newest addition to the Institute.  
  
The raven-haired girl jumped out of bed and grabbed her clothes as she ran to the bathroom. Minutes later the girl stood before Rogue dressed in a pair of dark blue-jean, a black shirt that proudly said "I'm Just One Big F#$%*ing Ray of Sunshine, Aren't I?", and a pair of red/black stripped arm-warmers.  
  
"Yah ready?" Rogue asked the girl.  
  
Mikaia didn't speak; she never did, just nodded and walked with Rogue to their class.  
  
"She said anything?' Bobby Drake asked his girlfriend when they sat down in their first class.  
  
"Nothin'," Rogue sighed, "though Ah wish she would."  
  
"Class," Ms. Munroe spoke loudly and the class quieted. "Please welcome back Mr. Allderyce."  
  
"Why's he back?" Bobby asked angrily when St. John Allderyce walked through the classroom door.  
  
"Bobby," Professor Xavier said as he came in behind John. The blonde haired boy held his tongue. "John is back because he wanted to come back. He has also given us useful information."  
  
"Professor, he's a traitor!" Bobby said.  
  
"Mr. Drake, please contain your-self," Xavier said. "And I believe he is entitled to a second chance. I ask you to give him the benefit of the doubt."  
  
John walked in and sat at the only spare desk, next to Mikaia.  
  
"Hey," he said.  
  
And for the first time anyone at the mansion could remember since the girl had come to the Institute the girl smiled at the boy. And then and there everyone knew that John deserved a second chance, Mikaia had silently told them that. 


	2. The Lady Blesses You

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men, if I did you could sue me and I'd still have a lot of money. Sorry to pop your bubble. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So," John said as he walked out of the class with Rogue, Bobby, and Mikaia.  
  
"Why?" Rogue whispered as she whirled on him.  
  
"Because I felt needed Rogue," he answered, "and don't even start saying ya'll wanted me here, 'cuz I know you did. I'm not proud of what I did, Rogue. I just thought that maybe I could just try it out for a while. But I just didn't work out, k? Trust me; I regretted it the minute I got there."  
  
"Trust?" Bobby spat. "Why should we trust you?"  
  
"Ya know what? I'd love to tell you that he beat me everyday and you're all I have left, I even wish I could beg for your forgiveness," John said. "But we both know that ain't gonna happen. So I'm gonna say this: trust me if ya want, but I'll understand if ya don't." Then smirking he added, "At least not right-away."  
  
Smiling Bobby held his hand out to John.  
  
"Still the same cocky bastard," Bobby said as he shook his old friend's hand. "Welcome back, Pyro."  
  
"Thanx Iceman," John said smiling.  
  
Suddenly Mikaia started running down the hall.  
  
"What's with her?" John asked.  
  
Checking her watch Rogue started after Mikaia calling back, "Class!"  
  
Bobby and John looked at each other and then took after the girls. They made it to the next class, Mechanics, in less than 4 minutes. Yet Scott still requested answers to their tardiness.  
  
"We were talking with John, Mr. Summers," Bobby said.  
  
"Mikaia?" Scott questioned. The girl nodded, motioning to John and then Bobby and Rogue. "Will you talk?" Mikaia shook her head as though the thought appalled her.  
  
§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§----=----§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§  
  
Meanwhile, John was asking Rogue and Bobby about the silent girl.  
  
"Who is she?" John asked Bobby.  
  
"Her name's Mikaia Collin. Supposedly she's an earth manipulator. You know, controls plants, talks to animals? But I've never seen any of it," Bobby said.  
  
"And why doesn't she talk?" he asked.  
  
"Nobody knows, 'cept the professor," Rogue said. "She been here for two months, but she won't say a word, she's usually on her own anyway. Though Ah've noticed she walks around the gardens a lot. Why do you care so much?"  
  
"Just wondering as to the background of my savior," John muttered.  
  
"What?" Bobby asked pulling John form his thoughts.  
  
"Said I was just wondering," John said a bit louder.  
  
"Class!" Scott suddenly called. Everyone became still. "Thank you. Now on with our lesson today.."  
  
After awhile John stopped listening and his mind wandered toward more appealing things than carburetors. Before he even realized it, class was over.  
  
"C'mon," Rouge said pulling John from his thoughts.  
  
"Huh? What?" he asked as he looked around him.  
  
"John, class is over," Bobby said.  
  
"Right, knew that," he said gathering his things.  
  
"'Kaia? Comin'? Rouge called to the silent girl who was sitting on the garage floor writing.  
  
The raven haired girl stood and nodded. She picked up her things and started to the door behind the others, when suddenly gravity came into play.  
  
"SHIT!" Mikaia yelled.  
  
"Kaia?" Rogue said.  
  
"Did you just say..."Bobby started.  
  
"Yes, dip-shit, she did," John said as he helped Mikaia gather her things.  
  
"Are ya gonna start talkin' now?' Rogue asked as John and Mikaia stood up.  
  
Mikaia looked shocked, then hurt. She turned on her heel and ran, clutching her things to her chest.  
  
"Rogue," John started calmly, but she saw the fire in his eyes, "one day.."  
  
John didn't finish what he started just glared at the girl and ran after Mikaia. From the slamming sounds, the earth manipulator was headed out into the gardens behind the school. John slowed as he looked for the girl through the bushes, flowers, and small trees. Then he saw he by the fountain of a woman dressed in deep blue with a bird on her shoulder, a snake in her arms, and a wolf at her feet. As he approached the girl he heard her whispering things to herself.  
  
"*Mère de la terre, Protecteur de toutes les vies, Je cherche pour que vous pardonniez, la haine que je me sens, la douleur qui est toute trop vraie. Donnez-moi l'amour que je n'ai jamais su, laissez ma voix parler seulement vrai. Et débarrassé me de ma douleur, et les secrets qui sont mon fléau. Béni par thee, Je peux seulement espérer être. Je vous remercie, Maîtresse des bêtes, Madame de la forêt, Déesse d'Avalon. Amen," Mikaia finished her prayer.  
  
"Mikaia?" John said softly.  
  
She turned to face him, "Yes?"  
  
"Are you gonna be alright?" he asked looking at her tear filled eyes.  
  
"Yes, I'll be fine John," she said and John heard a hint of an Irish accent in her voice. Turning his eyes to the fountain he asked, "Who's that?"  
  
"You don't know of the Goddess?" Mikaia asked. John shook his head. "She is the one who protects the earth and all that comes from if. She is the Lady of the Lake of Avalon."  
  
"Avalon's a real place?" John asked. Mikaia smiled and nodded. "I thought it was just a fairy tale."  
  
"Nay, Avalon is the home of many who serve the Goddess. They are all gifted with their own powers," Mikaia said touching the water from the fountain.  
  
"Why aren't you there?" John asked.  
  
"You must be of a great family or be hand chosen by the Head Priestess," Mikaia said frowning. "I was neither."  
  
"Oh," was all John could manage.  
  
"My mother came here with me when she heard of the Institute," Mikaia said. "My da didn't know until we had already left."  
  
John nodded as the information melted into him. He was very curious as to the background of the girl.  
  
"What about your silence?" he asked.  
  
"A small vow that has been fulfilled today," Mikaia said, brushing it off quickly. "What of your power?"  
  
John noticed her sudden change of subject but didn't remark as he started telling her about his power to manipulate fire. Yet as he told her he noticed her eyes sometime drifting to the statute above them and linger their before returning to his.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ *Mother of the Earth, Protector of all the Lives, I seek for you to forgive, the hate I feel, the pain that is all too real. Give me the love I never knew, let my voice speak only true. And rid me of my pain, and the secrets that are my bane. Blessed by thee, I can only hope to be. I thank you, Mistress of Beasts, Lady of the Forest, Goddess of Avalon. Amen.  
  
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ^~^ 


	3. Feel The Power

"Dirty Sunshine" and "Sick" are by Lillix  
  
BTW: I still don't own the X-Men, though they would come in handy.  
  
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  
  
Mikaia and John were soon inseparable friends. The fire-child and the earth- girl were soon a common sight around the institute. Mikaia was talking, but it seemed only really to John. John was smiling, but it seemed only to Mikaia.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"John, you ready?" Mikaia asked as she stood next to the fire-child after class one Friday.  
  
"Yeah," he answered gathering his stuff and following her out of the room.  
  
"You okay?" she asked as they headed to the room she shared with Rogue.  
  
"Yeah," he said. Mikaia stopped and pushed him against the wall.  
  
"Stop lying to me," she said calmly.  
  
"I'm fine, Kaia," he said pushing her away from him.  
  
"Please John," she whispered as he walked away. "Tell me what's wrong."  
  
Stopping, John turned and simply said, "You wouldn't understand."  
  
Nodding, Mikaia let him walk away knowing she couldn't really make him stay. She walked the rest of the way to her room alone. Ducking inside, she checked for Rogue and, finding the other girl missing, grabbed her guitar and headed out to the gardens to play. Plucking the strings, Mikaia started singing as she let her pain seep away.  
  
"Dirty black clothes  
A spider creeping up the wall  
Moldy pizza  
Sits where I left it on the floor  
  
What's that breeze upon my face?  
How did a human make lights?  
  
You hit me  
It all turns to sunshine  
Dirty sunshine  
You walked in  
It all turns to sunshine  
Dirty sunshine  
  
I slammed the door  
And I shut the blinds  
Dirty sunshine  
  
I feel like shit now  
But I don't mind  
'cause it's that time again  
I'm in my sweat pants  
And I'm a mess  
Don't want to let you in  
'cause sweetness gives me cavities  
You're all that, I don't want to  
  
You hit me  
It all turns to sunshine  
Dirty sunshine  
You walk in  
It all turns to sunshine  
Dirty sunshine  
  
I slammed the door  
And it shut the blinds  
Dirty sunshine  
  
I don't wanna run in  
Your merry go round  
Stop picking me up  
When I want to be down  
Scratch my nails on the floor  
And I'm not gonna say  
What's that breeze upon my face?  
How did you make it?  
You...  
You walk in and it all shines bright  
  
You walk in  
It all turns to sunshine  
Dirty sunshine  
You hit me  
It all turns to sunshine  
Dirty sunshine  
  
I slammed the door  
And I shut the blinds  
Dirty sunshine  
  
You walked in and it all turns bright  
Sunshine, dirty sunshine"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (meanwhile, inside) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What did ya do, John?" Rogue asked the fire-child.  
  
"Why is it always my fault?" he asked flipping the lid of his Zippo.  
  
"Cuz you were the last one tah talk tah Mikaia," Rogue answered.  
  
"So why does something have to be wrong?" he said glaring at her.  
  
Rogue stood up from the couch in the living room and pushed John towards the window facing the garden. Forcing him to look out, she made him see the girl in the garden angrily strumming her guitar.  
  
"Cuz she hasn't done that since she got here," Rogue said gesturing to the guitar.  
  
"She plays when she's angry?" he asked quietly.  
  
"No," Bobby said walking up and wrapping his arms around Rogue. "She plays to keep from crying."  
  
"I made her cry?" he half whispered to himself.  
  
"No John," Bobby answered. "You made her close up again."  
  
"Like you know her," John spat as he turned from the room.  
  
"Do you think he knows yet?" Bobby asked Rogue.  
  
"That he's losin' her or that he's runnin' for her?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Both," Bobby whispered as he watched Mikaia start a new song.  
  
**************************************************************************** ****************  
  
"Mikaia!!" John called over the screeching of the guitar but, she kept playing as her lips formed different words.  
  
"I'm never going to be what you want to see  
Always got to be me and free  
Right or wrong, you'll be gone  
  
Well I've heard it all before, and I'm tired of the lies I've tried  
I won't compromise  
You're a thousand miles away, draining under my flooded veins  
Take away the strain  
  
I don't think that you know  
I'm about to let you go  
Before I put you away  
One more thing I've got to say  
  
I'm not sorry, and I don't want to worry  
I'm sick of you again and I'm thinking no  
I'm not sorry, and I don't want to worry  
Of falling behind, don't want to worry and cry again  
And I just want to say  
Stop, go on  
  
I have thrown it all away, reaching over a cloudy day  
And I'm on my way  
Cast my shadows all aside, creeping over into the sky  
Shining brighter I feel alive  
  
I'm never going to be what you want to see  
Always go to be me you're free  
Carry on, run along  
Frustrated by you, typical what you do  
I'm tired and through, renew  
Living on with you gone  
  
Stop, go on!!"  
  
Mikaia sighed as she fingered the last chord. Her eyes looked into John's and she stood there, almost as if waiting for him to say something. When he said nothing, she sighed again and started to leave.  
  
"Mikaia, wait," John said and grabbed her arm.  
  
"What John? What do you want?" she asked irately.  
  
"I want to talk," he said staring into her eyes.  
  
"So did I," she said. Then wrenching her arm free she added, "But you didn't. So now I don't."  
  
"Kaia," he said as she started to walk away.  
  
She stopped and looked at him again. When he had said her name, something in her told her he needed her. He face was blank, but his eyes swirled with hurt, anger, sadness, and so many other emotions. Mikaia was overwhelmed. His energy was drowning her. She couldn't breathe, she was dieing. Everything was so black.  
  
!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@ !  
  
"Mikaia?" John tried again. He had no idea what had happened. One minute she was leaving the next she had looked at him and then fainted.  
  
Picking her up bridal style, John carried her into the mansion and toward the infirmary. He kept thinking about that feeling he got when she had looked at him. He felt an intense heat, stronger than any fire he had ever known. He could almost sense her energy growing and infusing with his. He had lived for a long time with mutants and he had never felt anything like what had just happened.  
  
Looking down at her relaxed face, John whispered to himself,  
  
"What are you, Mikaia? And what happened?" 


End file.
